Homer attempting to recruit companions for his security company in the Springfield church is a reference to the 1952 American western film High Noon, although the line "You all know me" is was taken from the 1975 American horror/thriller film Jaws.

The Mafia's journey to the Simpsons' house is a spoof of the opening of HBO's hit drama series The Sopranos, complete with the show's opening theme, "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3. One of Fat Tony's Jersey henchmen also bears great resemblance to Paulie, one of the main supporting characters in the show.

When the power goes out through Springfield Moe says, "Oh no the powers out? We'll miss FOX celebrity boxing." The night when this episode appeared, celebrity boxing was right after it. Barney said "I heard they'd have Ed Bradley versus Mr. Ed".

This episode was originally supposed to air in season 14 but FOX decided to air a "bonus episode."

This episode was dedicated to the memory of Stephen Jay Gould. Stephen appeared as himself in the season 9 episode "Lisa the Skeptic."

When Homer said someone will take his place, then he will take his place, the only people who will take his are Lenny and Carl.

In "Separate Vocations" it is revealed that Homer wanted to be a police officer but was rejected due to his stupidity and in "Bart the Murderer", he pretended to be a police officer. In this episode he finally becomes a police officer.

The last time Homer took the law into his own hands, because Chief Wiggum was corrupt and/or incompetent, occurred in "Homer the Vigilante".

Drederick Tatum's line 'I think I speak for myself, Comic Book Guy and Bumblebee Man' is an in-joke, as Hank Azaria voices all three of these characters.

The gun Maggie uses to shoot the gangsters might be the same one Homer inadvertantly placed beside her in "Mom And Pop Art".

When the Simpson family is following the fan early in the episode, Lisa is barefooted. However after Homer goes to plug in the Santa doll, she is suddenly wearing shoes. Then after the blackout, she is barefoot again.

When Homer is in the Kwik-E Mart, Apu offers for him to take a penny from the tray stating there's only one penny left, however when Homer takes the coin there's another in its place.

SpringShield was a security company, not a police force. Mayor Quimby may have turned duties to SpringShield, but he didn't say that they were the entitled police force.

When Maggie was looking at the fan, Maggie was in her diaper. A few scenes later, she was seen in her blue clothes.